United News of Bangladesh

Tourist travel to St Martin’s, a coral-rich island located in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, will be suspended for nine months starting February 1, according to a decision from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The closure will remain in effect until November 2025. Generally, the island’s tourist season runs from October 1 to March 31, but this year, travel has been limited to the earlier date due to new regulations. Cox's Bazar Additional District Magistrate, Imran Hossain, said that ships will be allowed to operate to St. Martin’s until January 31. "After that, no tourist ships will be allowed to operate.” The decision has raised concerns among local businesses, as the tourism sector plays a vital role in the island’s economy. 26 rooms of 3 Eco resorts gutted in Saint Martin's fire MA Abdur Rahim Jihadi, President of the St. Martin Hotel-Motel-Resort Owners Association, voiced concern about the potential impact on local residents. "No such crisis has occurred on the island before," he said. “If tourists stop coming now, it will create various challenges for the local population. Hundreds of people are involved in the tourism business, and we are requesting that the government reconsider the decision, at least allowing tourists to visit until February 28,” he added.

Dhaka District Awami League Joint Secretary Sakur Hossain Saku has been arrested from Dhaka’s Paltan area in an explosives case. The case was filed at the Keraniganj Model Police Station, said police station’s Officer-in-Charge Sohrab Al Hasan. Samrat, his associate indicted; face arrest warrant Saku was taken to Keraniganj Model Police Station from the custody of Paltan Police Station at night, said the OC. Saku was named in a case related to the recovery of 27 sacks of gunpowder in the Kalatia area of Keraniganj in August 2024. The arrestee Saku would be presented before court today, where the police will request a seven-day remand for further interrogation, said investigating officer of the case Sub-inspector Roni. Evaly MD, chairman get 2 years jail in fraud case Additionally, Saku faces charges in two other political cases under South Keraniganj Police Station, and police are preparing to request remand in those matters as well.  

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali has requested the Bangla Academy not to allow any provocative book to display at the month-long Ekushey Book Fair. He made the appeal while briefing reporters after inspecting the fair ground in Dhaka on Friday. The DMP commissioner said that members from intelligence and Rapid Action Battalion will remain deployed at the fair to ensure security of the visitors, along with the DMP members. The area spanning TSC to Doel Chattra will remain open and shut intermittently and security measures surrounding Dhaka University will be beefed up, he said. Moreover, no heavy vehicles will be allowed to operate in the DU area during the fair, he said. Replying to a question regarding Awami League’s announced programmes, the DMP commissioner said that the law enforcers have been vigilant to tackle any kind of sabotage. He warned that the law enforcers will resist if anyone, including the banned Chhatra League, tries to create sabotage during several programmes, including hartal. Sajjat Ali urged all to refrain from all street agitations.

Two people were killed and another sustained bullet wounds in a firing between two groups over sand extraction, extortion and dominance in the Meghna River, said police on Friday. The gunfight occurred in between Munshiganj’s Kalirchar and Chandpur’s Mohanpur of the river on Thursday. Kalirchar and Mohanpur fall under Munshinganj’s Sadar and Chandpur’s Matlab Uttar upazilas’ respectively. The deceased were identified as Russell, 32, son of Kalam Fakir of Bhasanchar area of Munshiganj’s Sadar upazila, and Rifat, 29, a resident of Chandpur’s Matlab. The injured, identified as Ayub Ali, 32, was first admitted to Munshiganj General Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for advanced treatment. Read: 8 people killed in Ansar, BGB firing in Gazipur's Kaliakair, Sreepur Mushiganj Sadar police station’s Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam said the gunfight took place between Kana Jahir and Kibria groups over the extortion, and dominance in the river around 7:30pm. The bodies were transported to the general hospital’s morgue for autopsy, he said. Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Md Billal Hossain said the river police were working there and efforts to nab those involved with the incident and recover the arms were underway.

A Dhaka court on Thursday indicted expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman in a case filed with Ramna police station under the Narcotics Control Act. Judge of Dhaka 7th Additional Metropolitan and Session Judge Mohammad Saifur Rahman Majumdar framed charges against them and issued warrants for their arrest after rejecting their bail petitions. The court also fixed March 12 for the next hearing. Two Indian nationals arrested in B’baria Public Prosecutor Mahfuz Hasan said earlier the court fixed today  to frame charges against Samrat and Enamul in the case. The lawyer of Samrat also filed a time petition citing his sickness. On October 6, 2019, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Samrat and his associate Enamul Haque Arman from Chouddagram in Cumilla. RAB raided his Kakrail office the next day. Huge quantities of foreign liquor, pistols, and two hides of kangaroo were seized from his office. He was later sentenced by a mobile court to six months in prison under the Wildlife Conservation Act. The RAB-1 lodged two complaints against Samrat at Ramna police station under the Arms and the Narcotics Acts. Arman was an accused in the narcotics case. Former state minister Enamur Rahman arrested in Dhaka A chargesheet was submitted against Samrat in the Arms Act case. On December 6, 2020, Rab submitted chargesheet against Samrat and Arman in the drug case. On April 10, 2022, a Dhaka court granted bail to Samrat in an arms case and a money laundering case and since then he has been out of the prison.

A Thakurgaon court on Wednesday sentenced four people to life imprisonment for the murder of a farmer over a land dispute in 2013. Thakurgaon senior District and Sessions Judge Court Judge Md Abul Monsur Mia handed down the judgement. Bus strike called off after 24hrs in Bhola The convicted individuals are Afsar Ali, son of Kishmat Ali from Pirganj upazila, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, son of Ansarul Islam, Sumon, son of Shohor Ali, and Sagor, son of Babul Hossain, all from Ranisankail upazila. Advocate Abdul Halmi represented the state, while Md. Jaliur Rahman defended the accused. According to the case details, on July 11, 2013, the convicts killed a farmer named Badrul alias Badal over a land dispute. Dhaka-Aricha highway blocked for 5 hours over road closure Following the incident, the victim's brother filed a case with Pirganj Police Station.  

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday said that the Shuchona Foundation, founded by ex-PM Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul, has no registered address and its illegal activities have been revealed. A team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), led by its Assistant director of ACC Md Naushad Ali, raided the so-called registered address of Shuchona Foundation but found its no existence there. The ACC initiated the legal enforcement operation following allegations of misappropriation of state funds through irregularities and corruption by the foundation’s president and several others. ACC finds defects in EVMs, questions experts' endorsement During the operation, the ACC team first collected and reviewed the foundation’s registration records from the Dhaka District Social Services Office. Later, they physically inspected the foundation’s official address but found no presence of the organisation. To investigate the tax exemptions granted to Shuchona Foundation, the team obtained relevant Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) from the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Upon review, the ACC team found preliminary evidence that the foundation had been exempted from paying income tax on all its earnings, including interest from permanent and savings bank deposits, consultancy fees, and research fees since 2016. The team will submit a detailed report to the ACC soon. ACC finds foreign currency, gold, FDR documents in Sur’s lockers Earlier, on Wednesday afternoon, the ACC initially stated that the Shuchona Foundation was located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, and a raid was conducted at that address. On Sunday last, the ACC revealed that Saima Wazed, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for South-East Asia, had inaccurately provided information regarding her eligibility when she was nominated for the position, as she was a Canadian citizen at the time. The ACC also said that there are credible corruption allegations against her. According to the ACC, Saima Wazed allegedly misused her influence to secure financial benefits for the Shuchona Foundation, receiving gifts and funds from various social and business institutions. The ACC sources further claimed that Saima exerted undue influence over the NBR to secure tax exemptions for the foundation’s entitled funds. ACC to investigate officials involved in 2018 Nat’l Election ‘manipulation’ Earlier, on November 24, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the financial intelligence wing of the Central Bank, had ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of Shuchona Foundation.

A Dhaka court has sentenced E-commerce platform Evaly’ Managing Director Mohammad Rassel and his wife, Shamima Nasrin, the company's chairman, to two years in prison in a fraud case.Dhaka's Metropolitan Magistrate Partha Bhadra pronounced the verdict on Wednesday. Cheque fraud: Evaly CEO Rassel, Chairman Nasrin awarded one year jail The court also fined Rassel and Nasrin Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer an additional two-month sentence.According to plaintiff’s lawyer Tausif Mahmud, as the accused are currently absconding the court issued warrants for their arrest.Mahmud had ordered a Yamaha R1 Five bike from Evaly on March 20, 2021, for Tk 245,000 . He later ordered two more bikes on April 3 paying Tk 590,000 for them. However, Evaly failed to deliver the bikes within the promised 45 days.After contacting Evaly’s Dhanmondi office, Mahmud received two cheques and when he attempted to deposit them he was asked not to proceed due to insufficient funds. Evaly would refund customers’ money in a short time: CEO Russel Despite repeated requests and legal notices, the company failed to refund Mahmud’s money.On February 4, 2024, Mahmud filed a case against Rassel and Nasrin.

A court has granted a three-day remand for former Law Minister Anisul Huq and a four-day remand for former Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam in separate criminal cases linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Police presented them before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka on Wednesday. The police sought a five-day remand for Anisul Huq in connection with an attempted murder case filed at Mohammadpur Police Station. Besides, the investigation officer, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Nurul Islam, requested a 10-day remand for Atiqul Islam regarding the murder case filed at Badda Police Station. Public Prosecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan, Omar Faruq Faruqui, argued in favour of granting the remands. On the other hand, defence lawyers appealed for the cancellation of the remands and sought bail for the accused. Read: Ex-minister Palak, 2 others put on 2-day remand

The Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has filed 1,636 cases for traffic rules violation during a drive conducted in different areas of the capital on Tuesday. As part of the drive, authorities also dumped 128 vehicles and towed 39 others, said a DMP press release issued on Wednesday. The DMP’s Traffic Department vowed to continue such enforcement drives.